Let it go, let it go!

Elsa!


 

If you have not watched or even heard of Disney's mega animated musical film Frozen till now, well, have you been living under a rock a pile of snow?! To get an idea of how big a hit Frozen is, consider this: Frozen is the second highest grossing Disney movie ever made, behind the 1994 Disney classic The Lion King. Oh and it doesn't stop there. A Broadway musical and a whole franchise is now in the works, and Frozen may just win an Oscar for Best Animated Film next month (fingers crossed!).

For myself and many fans, Frozen's soundtrack is one of its biggest appeals. Frozen's catchy songs have received tens of thousands of views on YouTube and there are loads of covers of Frozen's songs in a variety of languages. Of its entire soundtrack, 'Let It Go' is surely the biggest hit and most popular of all:

'Let It Go' is sung by one of the main female protagonists Elsa, a princess born with the ability to create ice and snow, who flees her Kingdom after she accidently displayed her long-suppressed powers in full public view. She finds herself alone up the snowy mountains and decides heck it, I am tired of hiding who I really am so now that I am free I'll just embrace myself and my icy powers. Elsa builds a beautiful ice castle for herself from scratch and ends with transforming herself from head to toe into a Snow Queen, all the while belting out her joy at having "let it go". The song is basically an ode to liberation and self-empowerment.

Personally, this song really struck a chord. My absolute favourite moment of the song and film would be Elsa's metamorphosis from the old conservatively attired Elsa into the sexy Snow Queen clad in the gorgeous gown of ice crystals. "Let it go, let it go/ And I'll rise like the break of dawn/ Let it go, let it go/ That perfect girl is gone!" Wow. I loved that moment so much because: a) The new Elsa is drop-dead gorgeous and exudes such a sexy confidence b) More importantly, I could relate to Elsa's transformation so much.

If you have been reading my previous posts, you would know that the last few months of 2013 was a difficult period for me due to some personal challenges I was facing. In the process, I resolved to break away from the obstacles that bogged me down and transform myself. Like, screw social conventions and all my fears, I'm just going to embrace who I am. However, I did not intend to simply accept myself, oh no, that's hardly enough, I wanted to be a new and better version of myself. I wanted to be tough as nails yet carry myself with poise and confidence; I aspired to be a lady with the world at her feet and ready to take it on because she knows she can.

That's why I am so enamoured with Elsa's "Let It Go" performance and the physical transformation that accompanied it. I have watched this particular scene of the movie (as well as many variations of it) so many times because I can relate to Elsa's transformation on so many levels.  As part of my own metamorphosis, I am changing the way I look too.  I don't mean to say that I used to dress badly (in fact I'm known for having a unique and quirky personal style), but I am working on a look that is not just uniquely me but also exudes maturity and confidence. It's been quite fun improving my overall physical appearance, though I sometimes wish it was as easy as waving a hand and creating a sexy attire of ice crystals! Aside from making improvements to my overall style, I have also been taking greater care of my health. I have long believed that looking good always starts with good health; make-up and treatments cannot do much to hide the effects of an unhealthy lifestyle.

Confidence is also a state of mind so I have also been letting go of the fears and setbacks that once held me back. Now, I feel more sure of myself and my abilities. I recall how when I was little I used to be so timid and would usually hide at the back of a group rather than stand in the front. Over the years, I've discovered a more extroverted side of myself, and these past few months I have been giving my outgoing side more chances to really shine and make lasting impressions on other people.

I am happy to report that my overall journey to a new and better me has been going along rather well. Self-improvement is still a work in progress, of course, but I'm happy with what I have achieved so far. By the time the lunar new year rolled around about a week ago, I felt so ready to embrace the Year of the Horse. I was born in the Year of the Horse, this is my year to shine and I'm ready to own 2014 like a boss. I mean, like a HORSE :)

Thank you, Elsa, for your inspiration. It is indeed such a beautiful and liberating feeling to shake off the shackles of the past and charge forward, driven by faith in yourself and your abilities. Oh and an appearance change, even minor tweaks, really does work wonders too ;)

Let it go, let it go, and I'll rise like the break of dawn!